The sheriff of the county has, except in cases otherwise provided by law, the custody and charge of the jail of the county and of all prisoners committed to the jail and may appoint a jailer. Code 1858, § 5400; Shan., § 7375; Code 1932, § 11984; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 41-1101; Acts 2017, ch. […]
Upon the resignation, death, removal from office or expiration of the term of office of any sheriff or coroner acting as sheriff, the jail and the prisoners in the jail, with everything belonging or pertaining thereto, shall be delivered over to the successor of the sheriff or coroner or any person duly authorized by law […]
In addition to convicts sentenced to imprisonment in the county jail, the jail is used as a prison for the safekeeping or confinement of the following persons: Persons committed for trial for public offenses; Inmates sentenced to imprisonment in the penitentiary, until their removal to the penitentiary; Persons committed for contempt or on civil process; […]
It is the duty of the jailer to receive and safely keep, without any fee therefor, all inmates on their way to the penitentiary, whenever the sheriff or other officer in charge of such inmates may deem it necessary. Code 1858, § 5409; Shan., § 7387; Code 1932, § 11996; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 41-1104.
The jailer is liable for failing to receive and safely keep all persons delivered under the authority of the United States, to the like pains and penalties as for similar failures in the case of persons committed under authority of the state; however, the marshal or person delivering a prisoner under authority of the United […]
The mittimus or process by which any prisoner is committed or discharged from jail, or an attested copy of the mittimus or process, shall be regularly filed in its order and safely kept by the sheriff, or jailer, under the sheriff’s direction. Code 1858, § 5401; Shan., § 7376; Code 1932, § 11985; T.C.A. (orig. […]
Every person committed to jail may furnish that person’s own support, under such precautions as the jailer may deem proper to adopt for the purpose of guarding against escapes and to prevent the importation of intoxicants or narcotics. If such support is not furnished by the prisoner, it shall be furnished by the jailer. Code […]
The jailer shall furnish adequate food and bedding. Code 1858, § 5419 (deriv. Acts 1826, ch. 45, § 1); Shan., § 7430; mod. Code 1932, § 12039; mod. C. Supp. 1950, § 12039; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 41-1109; Acts 1996, ch. 703, § 1.
Male and female prisoners, except husband and wife, shall not be kept in the same cell or room in jail. Code 1858, § 5423; Shan., § 7434; Code 1932, § 12042; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 41-1110.
The jailers shall enforce cleanliness in their respective jails. They shall furnish the necessary apparatus for shaving once a week, shall provide bathing facilities separate for males and females, shall furnish hot and cold water, clean and sufficient bedding, and laundering once a week to those prisoners who are not able to provide such for […]
It is the duty of the sheriff, where the jail is not fireproof, and so long as any person is confined in the jail, to be constantly at the jail or to have constantly at the jail someone having in possession all keys necessary to liberate all of the prisoners in the jail in case […]
The sheriff or other person shall remain in the jail every night from eight o’clock p.m. (8:00 p.m.) to six o’clock a.m. (6:00 a.m.).
After examination and commitment of prisoners, the jailer shall convey letters from prisoners to their counsel and others, sealing and putting them in the post office if required. The jailer shall also admit, without charge, persons having business with prisoners and shall remain present at all interviews between prisoners and others, except their counsel. Code […]
The county legislative bodies alone have the power, and it is their duty, to provide medical attendance for all prisoners confined in the jail in their respective counties. The county legislative bodies shall allow the county jail physician such compensation, to be paid by their respective counties, as may be fixed by the county legislative […]
The county legislative body may, at its January term each year, appoint three (3) householders or freeholders, residents of the county, of lawful age, to act as jail inspectors for the ensuing year, or the court may appoint inspectors at any other time to act for a shorter period. The county mayor shall be an […]
A violation of any of the provisions of §§ 41-4-108 — 41-4-116, whether by the sheriff or by any person selected as jailer or guard by the sheriff, is a Class A misdemeanor.
In all cases where a defendant charged with the commission of a felony is committed to jail, either before or after trial, and the safety of the defendant or the defendant’s safekeeping, requires a guard, it is the duty of the sheriff to employ a sufficient guard to protect the defendant from violence and to […]
For service as a guard pursuant to § 41-4-118, each guard shall receive one dollar ($1.00) for each day, and one dollar ($1.00) for each night so necessarily employed, to be taxed in the bill of costs and paid as other costs are now paid. Before the payments provided for in subsection (a) are allowed […]
Whenever any officer has to pay necessary expenses for board in guarding a prisoner, the expenses shall be allowed to the officer, to be taxed in the bill of costs not to exceed thirty-five cents (35¢) per meal each for the officer, the prisoner and the guard.
The sheriff has the authority, when the jail of the county is insufficient for the safekeeping of a prisoner, to convey the prisoner to the nearest sufficient jail in the state or, if the prisoner is a juvenile, to the nearest sufficient juvenile detention facility in the state. In all cases where it is shown […]
